McDonalds drivethru- whole premise is gone

[savethecat]

After a long few hours at a walk-in centre, I took my teen for a drive-thru. I haven't' been to McDonald's for such a long time and was so surprised to find that the drive-through now involves you ordering and the parking up for a good ten minutes waiting for a staff member to come and find your car to deliver the order. There were at least 15 cars waiting.
Now I am not bothered about waiting but wasn't the whole idea of a drive-through for speed and convenience? Seems the whole concept is down the pan now.
AIBU?

Babynamechanger we have a KFC drive through!

Unfortunately, it's more of a KFC lucky dip as they never get the order right and bundle it up so tightly that by the time you've opened it up to check there's horns beeping behind you and much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

We don't use drive thrus but I can see why they're handy if you've got young kids!

I agree. Starbucks is the same. I noticed last time re Starbucks that the same staff member was serving drive through and the shop till via a headset. Orders done strictly in order. What is the point?

Completely different experience than in the US. Our McDonalds drive through is laughably cramped, you can nearly get a small car round then wait for aaaaages. Next to zero parking.We send a teenager in, far quicker.

We aren’t set up for it as country too tiny and cramped. UK McDonalds just trying to copy US and it doesn’t work.

Their veggie burgers are the worst thing I’ve ever eaten.

We often have to park up as my partner orders his burgers plain. I prefer going in, it’s quicker and you can sit at a table.

Bill Bryson wrote about this about 20 years ago . . . going to McDonald's and seeing a big drive-thru queue, and when he had come out after eating his food inside the queue was still there and the cars had only moved slightly. So although the drive-thru is meant to be the option for people in a hurry, it was clearly much much quicker just to go in and eat.

His theory was that Americans would put up with any inconvenience as long as it was made to look like convenience.

Americans will put up with anything if it means they don’t have to get out of their cars!

I went through the Starbucks drive thru today.

I usually go in but had a pair of dogs with me and didn't want to leave them.

Another thing that seems to happen nowadays is people are so antisocial that they order at the drive through and then eat in the car!! So you can go to McDonald's the car park is full but the inside is almost empty with erveyone eating in the car park. Drives me bonkers

I used to love the drive through in my old car, nipped round and when DS was born a few weeks ago it meant I could pick up something without getting him out the car then take it home and eat it or if I was really hungry stuff my face in the car park. My old car was a smart car and I haven't been brave enough to take my bigger new car through as it felt quite tight before!

I hear you OP. I still remember the golden days of McDonald's in the late 80s and early 90's when McDonald's was actually fast food.

The problem is their business model has changed. They used to only make six burgers. Now there is more choice, everything is made to order and it takes longer.

They don't do drive through yet, but Five guys is actually based on McDonald's old model. They only make burgers and hotdogs with not too complicated toppings. Our local five guys is actually much quicker and a damn sight tastier than McDonald's.

I went to a McDonalds Drive through recently and I ordered at the comms bit, paid at the first window and they gave me my food at the second window.
The one you went to might just be a very busy one that have had to start doing it this way to keep up.

I think that’s unfair.Americans have longer journeys and much more space. Having done several US road trips I’d choose not to get out of my car of it was quick and easy.

I go way too much.

Only rarely have to park up but always if getting veggie meal.

I hate going inside - noisy, bright, plasticky, crowded, smelly.

I use the drive thru because I’m in a hurray and need to eat while I’m driving and there are no drive through fruit shops!

It’s also good if kids have fallen asleep in the car and I’m hungry!